2012 Malaysian GP: “Grande” Fernando Guides Ferrari To Victory On The Rain Soaked Circuit

In a surprising turn of events, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso triumphed under less the optimal conditions at The 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix. Sauber’s Sergio Perez was second and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was third, but the real battle was between Perez and Alonso.

The rain starts just ten minutes before the start of the race. Alonso said before the race that he didn’t want rain, but the rain was after their greatest ally. On the wet Sepang track Alonso worked his way up to fifth place before the safety car and the race flag. The race was stopped on the ninth lap.

At 17.01 it was announced that the race would be resumed at 17.15 behind the safety car, with all cars to be running Pirelli’s wet tires. There was still some light rain, but conditions had improved sufficiently. The gamble now would be how soon to switch back to intermediate tires, once the safety car had been called back in.

Button change to intermediates at the end of Lap 13, even before the race had officially resumed. Alonso, meanwhile, fought by Webber and Vettel, and pitted for inters on Lap 14 together with Hamilton and Webber. Sauber brought Perez in a lap later, when Button called in again after colliding with Karthikeyan’s HRT which he clipped with his front wing. That was the end of the points leader’s chances, but Perez’s were just opening up.

From the 17th lap until the finish, it was a battle between Perez and Alonso. Hamilton and the Red Bull drivers were unable to do anything to challenge either of them.

The battle between Perez and Alonso was a battle of endurance. The GAP between the two drivers never was higher than eight seconds.

For a moment, Alonso opened the gap; it was about the 7.7s on the 28th lap. But then Perez really got the bit between his teeth. But when the rain stopped Perez began to cut the gap to Alonso: 6.7s on Lap 33, 4.9s by Lap 35, 1.3s by Lap 39.

Alonso dived for the pits on the 40th lap and took on medium slick tires, Perez came a lap later and took the harder tires, as Sauber crucially added more front downforce. By Lap 42 the gap was 7.1s again, and the fairy tale seemed to be over, but nobody told Perez that. Lap by lap the Ferrari’s advantage got smaller and smaller; by Lap 49 he was only half a second behind and it seemed only a matter of time. But then he slid wide in Turn 14 leading on to the back straight, and this time the dream really was over. He recovered, and by the chequered flag on Lap 56 the gap was down from 5.3s to 2.2s, but Alonso had it made.